metzger



S. G. METZGER.

PNEUMATIC PIANO AND ORGAN PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11. I920- Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

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s. e. METZGER. PNEUMATIC PIANO AND ORGAN PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJI, 1920- 1,412,061 Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

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PNEUMATIC PIANO AND ORGAN PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.n. 1920 S. G. METZGER.

Pawnted Apr. 11, 1922,

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PNEUMATIC PIANO AND ORGAN PLAYER.

Specification of Lettersliatent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Application filed August 11, 1920. Serial No. 402,868.

To all whom it may concern;

I Be 1t known that I, STANLEY GUs'rAvn METZGER, a sub ect oi the Tilllg of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 1 Heath Road, Hale, in the county of Chester, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Connected with Pneumatic Piano and Organ Players, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pianoi'orte and organ pneumatic players and the improvements are equally applicable to both types known as interior and exterior.

It is well knownthat pneumatic players which are actuated a partial vacuum have the necessary main valves placed in such a position that it is impossible to .Furtheigwhen from anycause itlis necessary to lie-adjust the valves, the same procedure requires to be gone through and part of theplayingmechanism again dismantled, thus making the upkeep and maintenance cost muchgreater than it would be if it were possible to dispense with the" dismantling and reeassembling in order to'g'ain. access tothe valves. i

I: place .all the main or so styled second ary action'valves controlling the actuation of the striking pneumatics on'or in connectionwith. a simple front vertical supporting board or carrier, and, in such a position thatthey are accessible at all times without any dismantling whatevenbeyond the removal ofa cover board which although not a necessity, is desirable in order that a minimum of dust or. foreign matter may reachv the valves and also that-itinay act as a silencer to prevent anyhissing noise icingfaudible- This cover-board will be so constructed that theouter air will have access to the valves, such construction of the cover-board being a known arrangement not necessary to describe. l also so locate the bleed or vent holes that same can be got :at throughor in connection with the simple frontjvertical supporting board or carrier and without any dismantling. I

The attached drawings illustrate simple embodiments of my invention, but these by no means exhaust the possibilities of arrangements whereby all the valves which control the striking pneumatics can be mounted on or in connection with a simple vertical front supporting board or carrier giving that practically instantaneous access to such valves, themselves, without dismantling, which is the gist of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a section showing my invention as applied to a pneumatic player construction of the single valve action type, only so much otthe parts as are deemed essential to an explanation being shown.

Fi 2 shows a broken front elevation of the Iront supporting board or carrier and indicates the disposition of the control valves tt'orthe striking pneumatics, the bleed holes or air vents, &c.

i Fig. 3 is a section showing my idea applied to player mechanism of the double valve action type, that is, aconstruction employing primary and secondary or main action valves asis known.

In the carrying out of my invention I use controlvalves a of the horizontal type, and actuated solely by a partial-vacuum, which horizontal main action valves are arranged .n a vertical outer or support board or carrier 6, located in front of the exhaust-valve chest 0 with which the exhaust bellows set is in communication. The diaphragms or purses (Z are placed on the inner board e of the valve chest 0. and instead of said Valve chest beingonly divided vertically in the usual manner for expressionpurposes, I also divide the valve chest horizontally by pro viding divisions or filling in pieces f wide enough to allow of ducts f being bored through them communicating with the striking Pneumatics 9. These divisions f may be one or more according to circumstances and are really only filling-in pieces and are not intended to separate one row of valves from another,.provisi0n being made whereby equal air tension is on all the valves on one side of the vertical division dividing the bass portion from the treble portion of the player, although the bass section may have a di erent tension than the treble section. The horizontally disposed main action control valves a are shown as working to removable metal seats a attached to the support board or carrier Z), said control valves operating each in a valve chamber marked a formed in said support board or carrier .7). Such removable metal seats )2 are not essential, as the seats may be of wood, or composition, or tasnioncd in the support board or carrier 3. Communication between each valve chamber a and each duct 7" is provided for in any suitable manner as for instance by channels a bored or cut in the outer or support board or carrier 6; or again the communication may be by n'ietal valve covers of any suitable or known type placed on the outside of said outer support board or carrier 2').

It will be understood from this description and the attached drawings that all the horizontally disposed main action valves a are themselves directly accessible and can be exposed from the front even when the player in use, and, as a result can be adjusted and regulated to a nicety in any known or approved fashion. For example the valves (1. may be carried on threaded stems a which is the known construction intended to be indicated. Each such threaded stem can be grasped by the fingers or any suitable tool and be turned either to the right or left as required during which operation the valve (1 is gently pressed against its seating to ensure its remaining stationary whilst the valve stem is being turned.

It is imn'iatcrial what method is adopted for securing adjustment of the horizontal valves on their seats as my method of location, and support, and construction, gives ready access to and complete exposure of said main action control valves at all times on the more removal of the cover board 2' when such is used.

. The bleed holes or air vents 7' which are necessary in respect of each horizontal valve unit may be arranged in any suitable position, but for preference are placed in the exhaust valve chest and most conveniently above the top row of diaphragms or purses (Z and on a. block 7" fastened to the inner board. 0 in the rear oi. the outer support or carrier board 7), see Fig. 1, the said block being less in thickness than the division or illing in pieces f described above. In Fig. the iront board 32 is shown hollowed out at 7' andthe block 7' is the same depth as the filling-in pieces 7.

Opposite to each of the bleed holes or air vents. a hole 9' is bored through the outer or support board or carrier 6 to give ready access to the bleed hole for cleaning purposes. I may, however, substitute a long slot or a series of slots instead of having a separate aperture j for each bleed hole. These holes slots are covered when the player is ready for use by a suitable removable cover or covers 5 which covers may have a face of leather or other suitable material to prevent leakage oi air into the valve chest. Readily removable covers 7, 7" may be provided to give access to the passage ways 7", f. The covers for the passage way 7" may be provided by extensions from the valve seats h as indicated in dotted lines h, Fig. 2.

Primary valves may be added to the pneumatic playing action in known manner, if desired, such in no way affecting the disposal and carrying of the main action Valves a on an outer vertical support board or carrier 6 or the convenient disposition of the bleed holes or air vents, and, by way of example, such a construction is indicated by Fig. 3. In this case the primary valves are marked A and are influenced by the primary diaphragms or purses A the main action valves already dealt with becoming secondary valves as is obvious.

The working of the pneumatic arrangement, Fig. 1, is obvious. Operation of the bellows exhausts air from the valve chest 0 and keeps the desired valves a closed. On admission of air through the usual tracker bar via the tube a the diaphragm cl is influenced, thus opening the valve a and putting the bellows in communication with the striking pneumatic g.

In the arrangement Fig. 3, inrush of air through the tracker bar along the tube n influences the primary diaphragm A thus opening the primary valve A which admits atmospheric air (through the opening to outer air at shown dotted) along the channel A to the back of the secondary diaphragm or purse (5 thereby instantly opening the secondary valve (1- and putting the striking pneumatic g into communication with the valve chest 0 and exhaust bellows set. In this figure, the letter m shown by dotted line indicates the communication channel between the valve chest 0 and the primary valve chest m in order that the partial vacuum shall be equal in both chests.

It will be noticed that the bleed holes or air vents j in this case are just as favourably situated as is possible for cleaning purposes. Any of the bleed holes can be readily got at and all accumulations quickly got rid of.

I have shown a cover board or mask 11 applied in Fig. 1, which can be quickly removed giving almost instant access to the whole of the main action valves (or any desired range it the cover board or mask is in sections) so that the valves are at once exposed to view and can be adjusted without any further dismantling and in the easiest -fashion. The facility for adjustment is so great that an owner is at all times tempted to remedy the slightest defect.

As is known, attention to the bleed holes is a matter of great importance and under my invention these are so located as to give equal facility for access.

It is to be understood that I regard as of primary importance under my invention the location of the main action valves upon a vertical front board which shrouds the wind chest and that every main action valve is fully exposed and accessible at all times on removal of the masking cover and without any other dismantling whatsoever, such an arrangement being equally serviceable for interior or exterior actions. As additional features I regard the use of the filling-in pieces f, f to establish communication between the main valves and striking pneuinatics as necessary and of the greatest importance, and also the disposition of the bleed holes.

I declare that What I claim is:

1. In a pneumatic player action having a vacuum chest, horizontal main action valves actuated by a partial vacuum, a substantially vertical front board, main action valves lo-' cated therein, adjusting devices therefor,;and filling-in pieces provided with air channels to establish communication between the main valves and striking pneumatics.

2. A pneumatic player action having a vacuum chest, horizontally disposed main action valves governing the striking pneu inatics, a substantially vertical front board, main action valves located therein, means for adjusting same, a cover board, a vacuum chest in the rear of said front board, fillingin pieces in the rear of said front board, blocks in the rear of the said front board, and bleed holes in said blocks, said bleed holes being accessible from the front.

3. A pneumatic player action having a vacuum chest horizontally disposed main action valves governing the striking pneumatics, a secondset of valves located in the rear, a substantially vertical front board, main action valves disposed thereon, means for adjusting said valves, a cover board, filling-in pieces and channels therein, blocks in the rear of said vertical front board, bleed holes in said blocks said bleed holes being accessible from the front as set forth.

4. A pneumatic player action having a vacuum chest, a substantially vertical front board, main action valves located therein, means for adjusting said valves, a vacuum chest in the rear of said board, diaphragms in said vacuum chest, filling-in pieces in the rear of said board, channels in said fillingin pieces, blocks, bleed holes in said blocks accessible from the front, and a cover board for the valve compartment and the apertures in said front board as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

STANLEY GUSTAVE METZGER. 

